If you’re planning a trip to Amsterdam, then an Amsterdam bicycle rental should be on your to-do list for visiting this amazing city! Imagine riding down the cobblestone streets passing by the beautiful canals on either side! If that sounds like something off your bucket list, then read on to find out everything you need to know about Amsterdam rental bikes!
Amsterdam Rental Bikes - In this post we'll cover:
- Where to rent a bicycle in Amsterdam
- How much do Amsterdam rental bikes cost?
- Is biking in Amsterdam dangerous?
- Things you need to know when renting a bike
- Must know tips for riding safely in Amsterdam
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Where to Rent a Bike in Amsterdam
There are tons of places to rent bikes in the city, and most of them are pretty good.
We’ve rented at a few places, but the one I usually recommend to friends is A-Bike since they have a great selection of bikes and the customer service is good…free coffee anyone? 😛
If you’re staying in the city center you’ll be pretty close to both locations – one is just near Vondelpark – perfect for a leisurely bike ride – and the other is Dam Square – close to basically everything else.
But if you’re not satisfied with those, a quick Google search will bring up a whole bunch of other choices….just remember to book at a shop near your hotel…unless you want to walk back a very long way.
Cost for Amsterdam Rental Bikes
Bicycle rentals in Amsterdam usually go for about €9-12 per day, but you can also rent for just half days.
Since Julien & I rented for multiple days we actually got a discount that came out to around €6 per day per bike.
Another cost to consider is insurance for the bike rental – you know, just in case it gets lost, stolen, or damaged.
The girl at the bike shop told us this usually doesn’t happen, but if it does then we’re responsible for the whole cost of the bike, around €500 – no thanks!
Plus the insurance only cost us about €2 per day at most, so why not?
All in all, it’s really not expensive to rent a bike, considering that you won’t need to pay for taxis or public transportation. Just remember to include it in your travel budget ahead of time and you’ll have no problem!
Is biking in Amsterdam dangerous?
Biking in Amsterdam can be chaotic, and yes it can definitely be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing!
You should already have a good understanding of how to ride a bike before your trip, and this will limit the possibility of getting hurt while riding in Amsterdam.
Of course you should always use caution when riding in crowded places, and watch out for other bicycles too, not just cars!
Use the tips below to stay safe while riding bike in Amsterdam and make the most out of this bucket list experience! After all, it is one of the most unique things to do in Amsterdam!
Amsterdam Bicycle Rental Tips
1) Make sure you rent the right size bicycle
If you’ve ever ridden a bicycle that was too small for you, you’ll definitely know that there’s a difference in comfort levels!
On our first trip to Amsterdam, I got stuck with a bike that was way to small for me and I didn’t even know the difference.
Well, after riding bike for 4 days straight, my whole body was aching and all I wanted to do was get off the bike – lesson learned!
So to make sure the bike is the right fit for you, make sure that you can easily extend your legs all the way while pedaling.
If you can’t then the bike might be a tad bit to small!
2) Don't forget the locks
When you rent the bicycle, the shop should give you a set of locks to keep it safe when you park it.
Just made sure the locks work fully before leaving the shop, and don’t just take their word for it.
The last thing you want to do is have to return to the shop for new locks, wasting time on your vacation!
3) consider insurance
We had no idea about bicycle insurance when we went to get our rental bikes. But the girl at the bike shop explained that in the case of theft or loss, the bike will be covered and we wouldn’t be responsible for the cost of the bike – almost 500 euro!
Plus the insurance is only a few euros so it wasn’t a big deal – better to be safe than sorry!
4) rent a bike with storage
If you’ve ever ridden bike before then you know it can be a struggle to balance all your things while you ride.
In Amsterdam this is especially rough since you also have to pay attention to the cars and tons of other cyclists around you.
Do yourself a favor and rent a bicycle with a rear rack or a basket. That way you won’t have to worry about your purse, souvenirs, and other belongings falling off the bike while you’re riding.
Tips for Riding Bike in Amsterdam
1) Always use the bike lane
Riding in Amsterdam is so different than riding bike here in Miami!
You will definitely be able to find the bicycle lane no problem, and you are expected to use it!
Don’t ride on the sidewalk or in the street with cars, as you can get in trouble for this – and you’ll definitely be yelled at!
And always always make sure you’re riding in the right direction. Most bike lanes are one way and you’ll need to cross to the other side of the street if you want to go in the opposite direction.
2) have some experience
As I mentioned above, you probably shouldn’t try to learn to ride bike for the very first time in Amsterdam – that likely won’t go very well!
You should definitely have some experience with riding bicycle, and be comfortable with riding bike in traffic.
And if you haven’t ridden bike in a little while, just make sure to brush up on your cycling skills before you get to the super busy streets of Amsterdam!
3) Learn to shift gears
Okay, so Amsterdam is mostly flat. Why then do you need multiple gears?
Bridges, of course!
You probably already know that Amsterdam is famous for it’s canals, and the only way to get across them is by crossing the bridge – well technically not the only way, but I wouldn’t recommend swimming 😛
So when you’re going over a bridge you might want to change gears to make pedaling easier.
But if you end up with a single-speed bike, don’t worry. On our first trip I had no idea what gears were for and I managed just fine – a little tired, but overall fine 😉
4) Dress appropriately
I mean, really you can dress however you want, but cycling in heels and a dress might be a little more challenging than biking in shorts or sneakers – especially when you’re biking against the wind!
Unless you’re going for that Marilyn Monroe panties-on-display kind of effect, then by all means – you do you, boo 😛
5) use your phone for safety
Please, please, please do not get on a bike in Amsterdam without figuring out your phone situation!
Even if you set the GPS and you know where you’re going, the streets will get complicated and you’ll have to keep stopping to check your phone – I know from experience and it’s such a waste of time!
So here is what you should do instead:
- Mount your phone to your bike using this thing – only $8
- Set your GPS – since of course you got the international data plan for easy cell phone access ;P
- Set phone and GPS volume to LOUD
6) always alert pedestrians
When you get your bike, check that it has a bell or noisemaker of some sort attached to it – You will need to use this for warning pedestrians and other bikes that you’re passing them.
Because the last thing you want on your vacation is to run someone over, right?
7) Remember where you parked
I know this sounds super simple, but if you’ve ever been to Amsterdam you know there are literally thousands of bikes everywhere – and a lot of those rental bikes look pretty similar.
The last thing you want is to lose the bike and have to walk all the way back!
A good way to remember where you parked is to take a picture of the nearest shop or landmark – either a hotel, statue, or something that is easily recognizable.
That way if you get lost, you can ask directions back to where you parked!
Another great way to do this is to mark a spot on your GPS as a saved location…just remember to delete it when you leave, or else you won’t know which spot you actually parked in next time!
8) Don't ride Under the influence
You’ve heard of don’t drink and drive?
Well how about don’t drink and/or use recreational drugs in Amsterdam and then get on a bike and jump into the middle of busy traffic 😛
Unless you want to ruin your trip…honestly.
And even when you start feeling more comfortable riding around the city, just don’t do it!
There, that’s my public service announcement for the day – moving on now 😉
9) Always use hand signals
When you’re riding, you will need to share the road with cars…and the people in those cars have no way of knowing which way you want to go.
So before you turn – and potentially get into a crash – use hand signals to let other drivers know which way you’re heading.
And if you don’t remember them, here’s a mini crash course on hand signals – pun intended 😛
- Right hand out to your right side – turning right
- Left hand out to your left side – turning left
- Left arm extended to down and to the side with AN OPEN PALM – stopping
10) set a meet up place
Okay so this is definitely a “just in case” type of thing – but hear me out.
When we were biking in Copenhagen a few years back, Julien and I got separated because of traffic – I turned around and couldn’t find him anywhere.
But since my phone was the only one with an international plan, he had left his at the hotel.
It took me about 35 minutes to find him, after back-tracking to all the places we had been!
So do yourself a favor, and set up a point where everyone can meet if you get separated – the nearest coffee shop or maybe the hotel.
And don’t just rely on your phones – cell phones die, signal gets lost, etc.
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Whew! That was a lot!
Now that you know everything there is to know about Amsterdam rental bikes, you’re ready to hit the pavement!
Just remember to use these important tips to stay safe while riding and choose the best bicycle for you!
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Happy travels!
– Veronica
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